Ski binding



7, 1961 c. e. BLACKWELL, JR 3,007,707

SKI BINDING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1959 INVENTOR. CHURCH/LL 6. BLACKWELL,JR.

BY LA ATTORNEYS 1961 c. s. BLACKWELL, JR 3,007,707

SKI BINDING Filed Sept. 21, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 U ii 82 68 88 T -J 66m ll Q 6. H6 JNVENTOR. CHURCH/LL 6. BLACKNELL, JR.

4TTORNEYS United States ate 3,007,707 SKI BINDING Churchill G. Blackwell, Jr., 1540 S. Albion St., Denver, Colo. Filed Sept. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 841,082 9 Claims. (Cl. 280-1135) This invention relates to improvements in ski bindings and, more specifically to a novel foot-actuated boot-latching mechanism therefor.

In recent years nearly all skiers have adopted the use of so-called safety bindings which are constructed to release the boot upon the application of a twisting force thereto. Some of the better ski bindings are even adapted to open and free the boot when the toe is raised oif the ski such as would be the case if the skier were to fall over backward; and yet, nearly all of these bindings latch the boot securely to the ski in a manner to permit the skier to lean forward or from side to side without danger of the boot being released from the binding which movements, of course, are absolutely necessary for proper control.

Certainly one of the most popular and widely used types of safety bindings is that which includes as a heellatching mechanism, an operating lever mounted for movement in a substantially vertical plane about a transverse axis of pivotation between a retracted position and an engaged position overlying a portion of a bracket attached to the heel of the ski boot. A compression spring acting against an upturned portion of a heel-plate attached to the ski and a shoulder of a pin-like element pivotally connected to the operating lever biases the latter into either engaged or retracted position by means of an overcenter arrangement that depends upon whether the pivotal connection between the pin-like element and the operating lever lies above or below the pivotal connection of the latter with the heel-plate. As such, this heel-latching mechanism provides an extremely reliable mechanical connection holding the boot to the ski. The front end of the binding includes the safety-release mechanism of the type already mentioned that is adapted to open and free the boot upon the application of abnormal forces thereto.

The above-described heel-latching mechanism, however, has certain distinct disadvantages associated primarily with the difficulties attendant to the operation of locking the boot therein rather than the resulting coupling. For example, the present thinking is that the heel of the ski boot should be positioned firmly on top of the ski and not allowed to raise therefrom. Also, properly fitted ski boots permit virtually no freedom of movement of the foot therein even at the ankle joint. As a result, it becomes extremely difiicult for a skier to rest the heels of his boots fiat upon the skis and maintain this position while reaching down to flip the operating lever of the latching mechanism forward into engaged position. On the other hand, if this is not done, the operating lever will fail to properly engage the bracket on the heel of the boot resulting in either a complete failure of the mechanism to latch or an insecure coupling that can come loose or release later on even under normal use. The latter possibility is, of course, the more serious of the two andis most likely to occur if the soles of the boots are caked with snow.

Another disadvantage is that the operating lever, when in engaged position, normally extends upwardly along the back of the boot in close proximity thereto. Also, this lever usually snaps into engaged position with consider able force by reason of the strong biasing effect of the compression spring as the pivotal connection between the lever and pin-like element moves across center. When "ice this occurs, however, the skier usually has a thumb or finger positioned on the front or top of the operating lever between the latter and the boot where it oftentimes becomes pinched and bruised as the lever snaps into place.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved foot-actuated heel-latching mechanism for ski bindings.

A second objective is to provide a device of the type aforementioned that completelyeliminates any possibility of the skier injuring his hand when the operating lever of the latching mechanism moves into engaged position.

Another object is to provide a foot-operated tripper for the operating lever of a heel-latching mechanism that can be added to ski bindings already in use: without requiring any modification thereof.

Still another objective of the instant invention is the provision of a ski boot heel-latch that does not require the skier to bend down to accomplish movement thereof from released into engaged position.

An additional object of the invention claimed herein is to provide a foot-actuated operating-lever-tripper for the heel-latching mechanism of a conventional ski binding that, in certain forms, can be fabricated as an integral part of the operating lever thus eliminating the necessity for auxiliary structure which must be added to the assembly as a separate part or parts,

Further objects are to provide an invention of the class described which is extremely easy to use, simple to manufacture, inexpensive, rugged, foolproof, decorative in appearance, compact, and one that will not interfere with the normal function of the ski binding.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out specifically hereinafter in connection with the description of the drawings that follows, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, portions of which have been broken away to conserve space, showing a ski boot resting on top of a ski in position to be latched in place by means of a conventional safety-type ski binding moditied to include the novel foot-actuated heel-latching mechanism of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view to an enlarged scale which is also broken away to conserve space that shows the trigger-actuated heel-latching mechanism of the binding with the boot removed from the ski;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2 in which the heel bracket on the ski boot has been shown in dotted lines;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG- URE 3 except that the latching mechanism is shown in engaged position on the heel bracket rather than disengaged therefrom;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse section taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken along line 6-6 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view partly in section showing the first modified form of trigger or pawl used to actuate the operating lever of the heel-latching mechanism;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view showing a second modified form of trigger or pawl having a one-piece construction;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan fragmentary detail showing a third modification in the trigger or pawl design;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the trigger formed as an integral part of the operating lever of the heel-latching mechanism rather than a separate part or parts to be used in conjunction therewith; and,

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary section taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE 10.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGURE 1 thereof for a description of one of the more common ski binding designs adapted to be modified to include the foot-actuated trigger assembly of the present invention for operating the heel-locking mechanism that has been identified in a general way by numeral 10, it will also be seen to include a releasable toe-fastening assembly 12 attached to the top surface of the ski 14 intermediate the ends thereof and in position to receive the toe 16 of the ski boot 18. This toe-fastening assembly 12 comprises a toe-plate 20 screwed or otherwise attached to the ski and which includes upturned front and rear end portions 22 and 24, respectively. A bolt-like element 26 is mounted loosely within an opening (not shown) in the upturned front end 22 of the toe-plate for substantially universal movement relative thereto. The front end of the bolt-like element is provided with a head 28 that forms a stop limiting the extent of rearward movement thereof relative to the toe-plate; whereas, a nut 30 that forms an adjustable shoulder is threaded onto the rear end of element 26. A relatively heavy compression spring 32 is mounted between nut 38 and front upturned portion 22 of toe-plate 20 urging the bolt-like element 26 rearwardly. Bolt-like element 26 can, therefore, move from side to-side and up-and-down upon the application of a force thereto of the magnitude required to overcome the pressure exerted by compression spring 32.

The rear end of bolt-like element 26 is provided with a conical recess (not shown) adapted to receive the pointed front end 34 of a pin-like element 36 mounted for substantially universal movement within an opening in the rear upturned portion 24 of toe-plate 20. An annular flange 38 is carried by element 36 in abutting relation to the front face of upturned portion 24 while a generally hemispherieally-shaped section 40 is provided immediately behind the flange in position to pass through the opening in portion 24. The rear end 42 of pin-like element 36 extends into a suitable opening located in the front upturned face 44 of a toe-bracket 46 attached to the toe 16 of ski boot 18. A second annular flange 48 located immediately ahead of the rear end 42 of pin-like element 36 provides a stop limiting the extent of entry of the pin into the opening in the upturned face of the toe bracket.

Thus, it will be seen that bolt-like element 26 and compression spring 32 cooperate with the nut 30 and upturned front end 22 of toe-plate 20 to yieldably maintain the rear end 42 of pin-like element 36 within the opening in the upturned front face 44 of the toe bracket 46. However, when a force is applied to the boot 18 in a direction to move the toe 16 thereof from side-to-side, upwardly or forwardly relative to the ski, pin-like element 36 will shift position within the upturned rear portion 24 of the toe-plate until either the rear end 42 comes out of the hole in the toe-bracket releasing the toe of the boot or the entire assembly moves forwardly relative to the toe plate and against the action of the compression spring thereby releasing the heel 48 of the boot from the heellocking assembly 10. Now, insofar as the above-described releasable toe-assembly of the ski binding is concerned, it is old in the art and forms no part of the present inven tion except insofar as it provides means adapted to maintain the toe of the boot in position such that the heel thereof can be securely locked into heel-locking assembly that will be explained in detail presently. In other words, the particular toeassernbly 12 illustrated herein is intended as being merely illustrative of any one of a number of different types and styles of securing means for the toe of a ski boot that are adapted to hold same in a relatively fixed position on the ski.

The heel-locking assembly of the ski binding that will now be described with particular reference to FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings is similar in several respects to the toe-assembly that has already been set forth in detail. For example, it too includes a threaded bolt-like element 50 mounted loosely within an oversized opening 52 provided in the upturned rear portion 54 of a heelplate 56 that is screwed or otherwise attached to the ski 14 in spaced relation to the rear of the toe-assembly 12. A nut 58 is threaded onto the shank of bolt-like element 50 and provides an adjustable stop for the front end of compression spring 60, the rear end of which abuts the upturned portion 54 of the heel-plate and biases element 50 forwardly. The front end of the bolt-like element 50 includes a transversely extending pin 62 projecting on opposite sides thereof which is pivotally connected within the curled end portions 64 provided along the rear edge of rearwardly extending foot portion 66 located at the base of operating lever 68. The side margins of the base or foot of the operating lever are bent downwardly to form a pair of transversely spaced ears 70 that are mounted on a pivot pin 72 connected between upturned ears 74 positioned on the side edges of the heel plate 56. Thus, operating lever 68 is mounted on pin '72 for pivotal movement in a substantially vertical plane between the disengaged or unlocked position shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3, and the engaged or locked position of FIGURE 4.

An examination of FIGURE 1 will reveal that pin 72 defines a fixed axis of pivotation, the upturned rear end 54 of the heel plate 56 defines a fixed fulcrum about which bolt-like element 50 pivots in a substantially vertical plane, and pin 62 comprises a pivotal connection located therebetween which is movable from a position underneath a line interconnecting the fixed pivot axis and fulcrum and a position above said line. Thus, compression spring 60 biases the operating lever 68 into either its locked or unlocked positions depending upon whether the movable pivot axis defined by pin 62 is located above or below the line interconnecting the fixed pivot axis and fulcrum. Furthermore, when the operating lever is shifted between its locked and unlocked positions, movable pivot axis 62 swings about the fixed pivot axis as a center forcing the bolt-like element to move rearward axially compressing spring 60 between nut 58 and the upturned rear portion 54 of the heel plate. Nut 58 is, of course, used to adjust the pre-load compression on spring 60 thus Varying the force holding the operating lever in either locked or unlocked position.

Again with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, heel plate 56 will be seen to include an upturned portion 76 adjacent the front edge thereof positioned and adapted to engage the heel 48 of the ski boot 18 thus forming an abutment limiting the movement of the latter in relation to the heel-locking assembly. Similarly, another upturned car 78 is provided on the heel plate 56 between upturned portion 76 and 54 positioned and adapted to engage boltlike element 50 to form a stop limiting the movement of the operating lever into unlocked position.

In FIGURES 1 through 5, inclusive, it will be noted that the heel 48 of the ski boot 18 includes a heel bracket 80 having an upturned rear portion 82 that includes a pair of notches 84 located on opposite sides thereof in position to be engaged by the inturned flanges 86 located on the top edge of downturned cars 70 that depend from the side margins of the base 66 of operating lever 68 when the latter is in locked or engaged position.

Up to the present point, the binding that has been described in considerable detail is conventional and in wide use by skiers; however, it can be seen that in order to lock the boot therein, it is necessary for the user to lean down and grasp handle 88 of the operating lever 68 moving the latter upwardly and forwardly until flanges 86 thereof move into position within the notches 84 in the heel bracket 80. As aforementioned, this operation is a rather difficult and certainly uncomfortable one to perform and can result in badly bruised fingers as the handle snaps into place behind the heel of the boot. Therefore, the present invention relates specifically to improvements in the heel latching assembly 10 in the form of a footpressure-actuatcd tripping or trigger mechanism that has been broadly designated by numeral 90 and which is operative to shift lever 68 from inoperative into operative position. The first form of the invention shown in FIG- URES 1 through 6, inclusive, and the second form thereof found in FIGURE 7 are both designed for use with the conventional ski bindings of the type illustrated herein which are already in use as these forms require no modification of the existing binding. The third form of FIG- URE 8, the fourth form of FIGURE 9 and the fifth form of FIGURES l and 11, on the other hand, necessitate minor modification of either the heel plate 56 or operating lever 68 to receive the trigger mechanism.

First of all, let us examine the first form of the trigger mechanism 99 which is best shown in FIGURES l-4 and 6 to which reference will now be had. It comprises merely a sleeve or tubular spacer 92 mounted on pin 72 of the heel-locking assembly intermediate the ends thereof, a pair of trigger elements 94 mounted on pin 72 for rockable movement at opposite ends of the spacer and alongside the side edges of upturned portion 76 of the heel plate 56, and a pair of compression springs 95 on opposite ends of the pin 72 between the downturned ears 70 of the operating lever 68 and the trigger elements 94 adapted to hold the latter against the ends of the spacer. The trigger elements 94 include a portion 96 projecting forwardly from pin 72 and underlying the heel bracket 80 on the boot l8 and a portion 98 extending rearwardly in position to underlie that portion of the base 66 of the operating lever 68 located to the rear of pin 72.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, when the operating lever 68 is in the inoperative position, the base 66 thereof presses down on the rear end 93 of the trigger elements 94 raising the front ends 96 thereof upwardly off the heelplate 56. When it is desired to lock the boot into the binding, it is only necessary to position the toe-bracket 46 in the toe assembly 12 and press the heel bracket 88 down onto the trigger elements 94; whereupon, these trigger elements will rock on pin 72 camming the operating lever 68 into locked position by pressing upwardly on the base 66 thereof behind its fixed axis of pivotation. In the locked position of FIGURE 4, it can be seen that the front ends 96 of the trigger elements move out of the way into the recess 100 formed in the heel-plate 56 when portion 76 is bent upwardly therefrom.

It should be obvious to anyone from the above description that a single trigger element 94 is all that would be required to perform the tripping function and that this could be accomplished by using a single spring 95 and a longer spacer 92. At any rate, either of these designs is fully operative and can be installed on existing bindings of the type illustrated by merely removing cotter key 102 from the end of pin 72, withdrawing the latter from the heel-locking assembly, and mounting the aforementioned trigger mechanism thereon as it is reinserted.

The second form of the trigger mechanism 90a illustrated in FIGURE 7 differs from that just described in that the trigger elements 94a are swaged or otherwise rigidly attached to the ends of the spacer 92a. This construction, of course, is somewhat simplified in that it eliminates the need for springs 96 to hold the trigger elements in place against the ends of the spacer; otherwise, it functions in exactly the same manner to trip the operating lever and move it from inoperative into operative position.

The third form of the trigger or tripping mechanism 90b shown in FIGURE 8 is further simplified over those already described in that both the spacer and springs have been eliminated; however, this one requires a slight modification in the existing heel plate 56 to include a substantially vertical slot 104 (FIGURE 9) in upturned portion 76m adapted to receive the single forwardly extending leg 96b of modified trigger element 9412 that maintains same in a centrally-located position relative to the heel-locking assembly 10. In the particular form shown, trigger element 94b is formed from a single strip of metal that is slit longitudinally along a portion of its length to define a pair of parallel leg portions arranged in side-by-side relation and interconnected at one end by a generally triangular piece. These leg portions are first bent upwardly into face-to-face relation so that the interconnecting triangular piece portion therebetween defines the front end 9612 of the trigger which has an acute angular shape terminating in a point adapted to pass underneath the heel-plate $0 in the manner shown in FIGURE 4. Then, the leg portions are bent outwardly in opposite directions beginning at the end of the slot to produce connecting portions I96. Finally, the bias-cut free ends of the connecting portions 196 are bent rearwardly .into laterally spaced substantially parallel relation to define the rear end portions 98b of the trigger which are generally triangularly shaped and lie on opposite sides of the forward portion 96b. Openings It)? are, of course, provided in rear end portions 98b to receive pin 72. Here again, the resultant trigger assembly 9912 operates in exactly the same manner as before except that the front portion 96b of trigger 94b moves up and down within slot 104 in upright portion 76111 of the heel-plate rather than at the side thereof.

The FIGURE 9 form of the trigger assembly 900 is much the same as that of FIGURE 8 except that the trigger element 94c is mounted directly upon pin 72 by being welded thereto, attached with a press fit or some similar means. Actually, trigger element 940 is exactly the same as those used in the first two forms with the exception that the hole therethrough is of a size to fixedly receive pin 72 rather than tilt or rock thereon. Here, the trigger element 94c has been shown located for movement within slot AM- in the upturned front portion 76m of the heel-plate; however, it is obvious that it could also be positioned at one side thereof thus eliminating the need for the slot as well as the springs and spacer.

The last form of trigger mechanism d is that which has been illustrated in FIGURES 10 and 11 and will be seen to comprise an integrally-formed part of the operat' ing lever 68d of the modified heel-locking assembly 10m. In the embodiment, at least one, but preferably both, of the laterally spaced ears 7 hm that are downturned at the side margins of the base 66m of operating lever 68d are provided with inturned feet Hi) positioned along the lower edge thereof and adapted to underlie the heel-bracket 88 mounted on the sole of boot 18. These inturned feet 1ft perform the same function as the trigger elements 9 of the above-described modifications as they operate upon the application of footpressure to rock the operating lever forward on the pin 72 into locked position. Here, because the feet 114 are located near the side edges of the heel-locking assembly 10m, it is preferable to shorten the front end of heel-plate 56171 as shown in FIG- URE 11.

Having thus described the several useful and novel features of the present invention, it will be seen that the many worthwhile objectives for which it was designed have been achieved. Although but a few specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in connection with the accompanying drawings, I realize that certain changes and modifications therein may well occur to those skilled in the art within the broad teaching hereof; hence, it is my intention that the scope of protection afforded hereby shall be limited only insofar as said limitations are expressly set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a ski binding, a toe-fastening assembly attachable to a ski intermediate the ends thereof adapted to receive and hold the toe of a ski boot thereto, and a heellocking assembly mountable on the ski behind the toefastening assembly in positon to receive the heel of the ski boot, said heel-locking assembly comprising a heelplate having a pair of transversely spaced upturned ears, an operating lever including means for engagement with the heel of the ski boot mounted between the upturned ears for rockable movement between a disengaged position and an engaged position releasably latching the heel of the ski boot to the ski, and foot-actuated trigger means operatively associated with the operating lever for moving the latter from disengaged into engaged positon, said trigger means including at least one upstanding generally triangularly-shaped trigger element mounted for substantially vertical rockable movement about a transverse axis, said trigger element having a first vertex-forming portion projecting forwardly from the axis into position underneath the heel of the ski boot and a second vertex-forming portion operatively associated with the operating lever adapted to trip the latter moving it from disengaged into engaged position upon the application of foot pressure to said forwardly-projecting portion in a direction to depress same.

2. The ski binding as set forth in claim 1 in which a single trigger element is mounted for rockable movement in a centrally-located position intermediate the sides of the ski, and yieldable stop means are positioned on opposite sides of the trigger element adapted to maintain the latter in its centrally-located position.

3. The ski binding as set forth in claim 2 in which the heel plate has an upturned flange extending transversely along the front edge thereof to form a stop limiting the extent of rearward movement of the ski boot, and the stop means for maintaining the trigger element in centrally-located position comprises a substantially vertical slot in the upper edge of the upturned flange on the front end of the heel plate of a width and length to receive the forwardly-extending portion of the trigger element for movement therein.

4. The ski binding as set forth in claim 2 in which, a pin is mounted between the ears extending transversely in spaced relation above the heel plate, the trigger element is mounted for rockable movement on the pin, and the stop means for maintaining the centrally-located position of the trigger element comprises spacer means mounted on the pin and on both sides of said trigger element between the latter and the adjacent ear of the heel plate.

5. The ski binding as set forth in claim 4 in which the spacer means includes at least one sleeve and at least one compression spring.

6. In a ski binding, a toe-fastening assembly attachable to a ski intermediate the ends thereof adapted to receive and hold the toe of a ski boot thereto, and a heel-locking assembly mountable on the ski behind the toe-fastening assembly in position to receive the heel of the ski boot,

said heel-locking assembly comprising a heel-plate having a pair of transversely spaced upturned ears, an operating lever, including means for engagement with the heel of the ski boot, mounted between the ears for rockable movement between a disengaged position and an engaged position releasably latching the heel of the ski boot to the ski, and foot-actuated trigger means operatively associated with the operating lever for moving the latter from disengaged into engaged position, said trigger means including a pair of upstanding generally triangularly shaped trigger elements arranged in transversely spaced substantially parallel relation and mounted for vertical rockable movement about a transverse axis, each of said trigger elements having a first Vertex-forming portion projecting forwardly from the axis into position underneath the heel of the ski boot and a second vertex-forming portion op eratively associated with the operating lever adapted to trip the latter moving it from disengaged into engaged position upon the application of foot-pressure to said forwardly-projecting portion in a direction to depress same.

7. The ski binding as set forth in claim 6 in which a spacer interconnects the pair of trigger elements adapted to maintain a fixed spaced relation therebetween.

8. The ski binding as set forth in claim 7 in which the spacer is located between the trigger elements to which it is rigidly connected to form a unitary assembly, and the heel plate is provided with an upturned flange extending transversely along the front edge thereof in position between the trigger elements adapted to maintain the latter in a centrally-located position relative to the side edges of the ski.

9. The ski binding as set forth in claim 7 in which the spacer is positioned between the trigger elements and is unattached to at least one thereof, a pin is attached between the ears of the heel-plate, the trigger elements are both mounted for rockable movement on the pin, and a pair of compression springs are mounted on the pin between each trigger element and the adjacent ear of the heel plate biasing said trigger elements into engagement with the spacer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,573,955 Cubberley Nov. 6, 1951 2,616,714 Cu-bberley Nov. 4, 1952 2,705,150 Hansen Mar. 29, 1955 2,879,071 King Mar. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 59,440 Switzerland Jan. 3, 1912 

